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Accepting hearing loss
Social gatherings
Casual throwaway remarks
Buying and using a phone
Pain when flying
Radio and TV
Online Catch-up TV
Timer alerts
A pendant timer alert
Headphones / earphones
Committee work
A 'deaf' badge
Summary of coping strategies

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Handling casual 'throwaway' remarks: Strategies for the deaf and hard-of hearing
Outstanding questions about handling throwaway remarks
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Casual and seemingly 'throw-away' remarks seem to come in two types. One is the sort of remark that people make to be friendly or sociable like
a comment about the weather. The other actually requires a response, like
to the shop assistant who mumbles for the hundredth time that day, "Would
you like a bag for this?" while not giving any visual signals that an answer
is expected. One of the problems for deaf people is knowing the difference
when neither have been heard adequately.
The first is easiest to handle, if you recognise it for what it is, because
a nod and a smile normally suffice. However, you may long to be sociable
in response, but can't because of not knowing what has been said, so not
being able to build on it. If you are going to see a reasonable amount of
the person concerned, an explanation is in order, but that seems rather
excessive as a response to a casual comment from a stranger. So potential
friends get lost.
The second type of apparent 'throw-away' remark just makes deaf people
look and feel stupid because of the strange look from the person making
it. They are expecting a sensible response to a sensible query. Eventually
you have to explain, but it is embarrassing.
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